Govt: Over 116,000 'already accessing free childcare'

Some 116,000 youngsters are already using the 15 hours of free childcare they are entitled to from the Government, a Department of Education spokesman said.

The DfE rebuffed claims more needed to be done to tackle growing demand and said:

Over 116,000 eligible children are already accessing 15 hours of free childcare a week and we have now extended this to a further 240,000 two year olds from September.

We have also introduced tax free childcare - up to £2,000 per child and for working families on the lowest incomes up to 85% of childcare costs are to be met under universal credit.

We are encouraging new childcare providers to enter the system, while cutting red tape for current ones and making it easier for school nurseries to open from 8-6, with over 800,000 places in schools, to help ensure parents can have what they want.